Assembly polls: Complaints galore against Telangana Congress leadership over sale of tickets

Several leaders who were denied tickets for the upcoming elections are now lodging complaints against the Congress leadership in Telangana highlighting corruption, money laundering and extortion

Hyderabad: After Gadwal Congress ticket aspirant K Vijay Kumar lodged a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate against the Congress leadership in Telangana highlighting corruption, money laundering and extortion, several other leaders who were denied tickets are now lodging similar complaints over sale of tickets.

While Vijay Kumar was suspended from the party for making the allegations, the second list of 45 candidates released on Saturday saw many more leaders coming out in the open on the sale of tickets in the Congress, unmindful of any action from the TPCC.

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TPCC Minorities Department Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail, who quit the Congress, in a letter to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge informed that when Revanth Reddy was appointed as TPCC president, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy had alleged that AICC incharge Manickam Tagore sold the post for Rs.50 crore. Initially, not many believed this but soon everybody understood that Revanth Reddy had invested Rs.50 crore and had recovered the same with huge profits by selling party posts and Assembly tickets, he said.

Despite several contenders, the Malakpet ticket was allotted to Shaikh Akbar, a realtor, who was not a member of the Congress. He had openly declared that he purchased the ticket for Rs.10 crore, Sohail said in the letter.

Similarly, Mudhole ticket aspirant Vijay Kumar Reddy, who was denied a ticket by the party, charged that the TPCC president had sold tickets.

“I will disclose all the details as to how Narayan Rao Patil (Congress candidate from the constituency) paid cash to Revanth Reddy, besides his irregularities during his US trip,” Vijay Kumar Reddy, an NRI who aspired to contest from Mudhole said.

“Revanth Reddy has cheated many people, including NRIs and they are all prepared to teach a lesson to the TPCC president,” he said.

Jubilee Hills ticket aspirant P Vishnuvardhan Reddy, who joined the BRS, said tickets were being sold to parachute leaders and those who could offer money. “If things continue unabated in the State Congress, Gandhi Bhavan will also be sold,” Vishnuvardhan Reddy said.

Kotha Manohar Reddy had alleged that Badangpet Mayor Chigirintha Parijatha Narasimha Reddy had offered Rs 10 crore and registered five acres of land on Revanth Reddy’s name for the Maheshwaram constituency party ticket. He was suspended from the party for making the allegations.